Ark Analog Warp Bright Synths Into Trippy Video for ‘Was That It?’

Canadian duo's single comes from recently released 'Dirty Power' EP

Every musician has a secret (or not-so-secret, thanks to YouTube) past, when they were making mistakes, finessing a sound or playing guitars instead of synths. Toronto singer Maylee Todd is a little less linear in her approach to figuring it all out: she releases bright-eyed soul under her own name, and tackles plunky beatmaking via a tenori-on iPad app as Maloo. But it’s in Ark Analog, with fellow dabbler Dan Werb of indie-pop band Woodhands, that Todd finds a middle ground, mixing the brilliance of her cheery, cherry-red vocals with the beat.

On the new Dirty Power EP, mixed by Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys, Werb and Todd channel dark disco energy, marrying algebraic synth-loops with comely vocals. Throw in Todd’s compulsive theatricality and bottomless wardrobe, and you have the video for “Was That It?,” a slicked up, stripped down take on ’80s drama-pop single “Moonlight Desires,” by Gowan.

Woodhands collaborator, A.J. Bond, who leaned heavily on Todd’s performance skills and his background in editing, directed the mosaic-y, GIF-inspired video. “My mind naturally gravitates toward time-based image manipulation and visual rhythm. I deconstructed Maylee’s performance with a painstaking editing technique that literally stretches time across the screen – basically moving my hand around in a flatbed scanner, the video is meant to be this hypnotic and chaotic temporal collage.” Watch the video for “Was That It?” above.